Hey Guys,
Some people have been asking what you could continue to do to help save Camp Olave. Here is the latest information that i have recieved.
1 November 2009
RE: TAXATION OF CAMP OLAVE
Dear Guiders and Friends of Guiding,
We lost the first round with the passing of the bylaw on Friday. It was not surprising asall 45 applicants requesting tax exemption were included in the same bylaw. If the District ofSechelt Council had defeated the bylaw no one would have received their exemptions for 2010. The bylaw reads that Camp Olave is to be taxed in 2010 on the upper half of the camp property, which based on the last assessment, would have us pay an annual tax of at least $133,000. Clearly we cannot afford that.
The Camp Olave Management Committee’s next step is to obtain a new tax assessmentof our property. The assessment team has recently been to camp. The official assessment will be mailed in January. Please note we can appeal the tax assessment, but not the bylaw exemption. We will not know the final amount of taxes owing until we receive the invoice. The COMC will investigate means to reduce or eliminate the tax bill. Since this tax creates a hardship for our organization, COMC can apply to the District of Sechelt for a grant.
We want the camp to be returned to the Sunshine Coast Regional District where wewould be tax exempt due to our charity status. We were in that District until the boundaries were changed twelve years ago. Mayor Inkster has changed his tune due to the huge public outcry and has offered to help us anyway he can. As I sat at the Council meeting on October 21st and listened to the Council Members, I thought they have no idea who they are taking on. They completely underestimated the power of the Girl Guide name. We are much more than a cookie.
Once again I am asking you to write letters but this time please send them to your own particular MLA, find yours here as well as:
The Honourable Gordon Campbell
Premier of British Columbia
PO Box 9048 STN Prov Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9E2
premier@gov.bc.ca
Minister of Finance
The Honourable Colin Hansen
PO Box 9041 STN Prov Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9E2
colin.hansen.mla@leg.bc.ca
Minister of Community and Rural Development
The Honourable Bill Bennett
PO Box 9056 STN Prov Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9E2
bill.bennett.mla@leg.bc.ca
In your letter please include a request for a provincial tax exemption of all non profit camps whether they are in a rural or municipal setting. All non profit camps should be governed under the same law. Using Camp Olave as an example we are taxed because we are in a municipality. Move us down the road into a regional district (rural area) and we are tax free.
The present system is not fair. I want to thank every one of you for your support.
Yours in Guiding,
Elaine LakeChairperson,
Camp Olave Management Committee
Some people have been asking what you could continue to do to help save Camp Olave. Here is the latest information that i have recieved.
1 November 2009
RE: TAXATION OF CAMP OLAVE
Dear Guiders and Friends of Guiding,
We lost the first round with the passing of the bylaw on Friday. It was not surprising asall 45 applicants requesting tax exemption were included in the same bylaw. If the District ofSechelt Council had defeated the bylaw no one would have received their exemptions for 2010. The bylaw reads that Camp Olave is to be taxed in 2010 on the upper half of the camp property, which based on the last assessment, would have us pay an annual tax of at least $133,000. Clearly we cannot afford that.
The Camp Olave Management Committee’s next step is to obtain a new tax assessmentof our property. The assessment team has recently been to camp. The official assessment will be mailed in January. Please note we can appeal the tax assessment, but not the bylaw exemption. We will not know the final amount of taxes owing until we receive the invoice. The COMC will investigate means to reduce or eliminate the tax bill. Since this tax creates a hardship for our organization, COMC can apply to the District of Sechelt for a grant.
We want the camp to be returned to the Sunshine Coast Regional District where wewould be tax exempt due to our charity status. We were in that District until the boundaries were changed twelve years ago. Mayor Inkster has changed his tune due to the huge public outcry and has offered to help us anyway he can. As I sat at the Council meeting on October 21st and listened to the Council Members, I thought they have no idea who they are taking on. They completely underestimated the power of the Girl Guide name. We are much more than a cookie.
Once again I am asking you to write letters but this time please send them to your own particular MLA, find yours here as well as:
The Honourable Gordon Campbell
Premier of British Columbia
PO Box 9048 STN Prov Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9E2
premier@gov.bc.ca
Minister of Finance
The Honourable Colin Hansen
PO Box 9041 STN Prov Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9E2
colin.hansen.mla@leg.bc.ca
Minister of Community and Rural Development
The Honourable Bill Bennett
PO Box 9056 STN Prov Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9E2
bill.bennett.mla@leg.bc.ca
In your letter please include a request for a provincial tax exemption of all non profit camps whether they are in a rural or municipal setting. All non profit camps should be governed under the same law. Using Camp Olave as an example we are taxed because we are in a municipality. Move us down the road into a regional district (rural area) and we are tax free.
The present system is not fair. I want to thank every one of you for your support.
Yours in Guiding,
Elaine LakeChairperson,
Camp Olave Management Committee
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